Cover assembly



March 4, 1958 R. A. vAN oLsT ErAL 21,825,485

COVER l.fxssElx/namf Filed June 15, 1957 INVENTORS R. A. VAN OLST FREDE..APPLETON ATTORNEYS een -e-s n COVER AssEmLv Robert A. Van Olst,Barrington, ,and Fred E. Appleton, Haddon Heights, N. J., assignors, bymesse assignments, to the United States of America as represented hy theSecretary of the Navy Application .lune 13, 1957, Serial No. 665,613

7 claims. (ci. 22e- 55) This invention relates to housings forelectronic equipment and the like, and more particularly to covers forsuch housings which are adjustable toward the housing to provide awatertight assembly or adjustable away from the housing to provide aventilated assembly. The housing and cover assembly of this invention isadapted especially for enclosing electronic equipment which is to beused under submerged conditions where a waterproof housing structure isrequired for the equip- 'ni'ent or'under such conditions where theequipment is exposed to ventilation purposes and yet the housing andcover' assembly presents a splashproof structure.

.The invention provides a housing having a cover assembled thereon in amanner to be selectively maintained inthe closed or watertight positionor in the open or ventilated and splashproof position.

IThe invention also contemplates a particular arrangement for adjustingthe cover which permits its manualY operation to secure the cover in itswatertight position and its manual release from the watertight positionto a selected ventilated position or completed ventilated position.

A specic object of the invention is to provide adjusting apparatus forthe cover which insures that it will be maintained in the fully openposition. Other objects and advantages of theV invention willhereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description ofthe lannexed drawings, which illustrate a preferred embodiment, andwherein:

fFig., lv is a perspective view of the assembled housing Cfo'ver of theinvention;

.'Fig. 2 is a sectional elevational view of the housing and cover unitin the watertight position;

.Fig 3 is a. viewV similar to Fig. 2 but with the cover in ventilatedposition; and

Pig. 4 is a view taken on the line 4 4 of Fig. 2 to show a detail of theinvention.

`Referring to Fig. l, a housing is shown which may be considered adaptedespecially for housing electronic equipment and-is formed of a top wall11 and side, end and a bottom wallwhich are not indicated, but arearranged to provide a suitable pressure tight' or s ealed enclosure. Thetop" wall.. 1.1 -offthe vhousing Vreceives an adjustable cover having anupper end 12 and an annular side wall 13 which are movable as a unitrelative to the top wall 11 of the housing by means of a plurality ofadjustable bolt assemblies 14 which will be described in detail.

The details shown in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings are similar and asshown, the top wall 11 of the housing is provided with an opening 15which permits communication with the interior of the housing. An annularring 16 is mounted on the top wall 11 about the opening 15 and has alower outwardly extending flange 17 which may be welded or otherwisesecured thereto and the ring is also provided with an upper andoutwardly extending flange 18. The lower flange 17 is provided withspaced screw threaded openings 20, each of which receives a socketmember 21, which is adapted for securing adjustarent 2,325,485 PatentedMar. 4, 1358 ice..-

ber is provided with an inner screw threaded area 22 and an outer screwthreaded area'23.

Each bolt assembly 14 consists of a bolt shaft 24 and sleeve 25. Thebolt shaft 24 has a screw threaded lower end portion 26 which isreceived in the inner screw threaded area 22 of a socket member whilethe sleeve 25 is screw threaded at its inner lower end and is receivedby the outer screw threaded area 23 of the socket. The sockets provideconnecting means between the bolt shafts and the sleeves for releasablymaintaining the cover in closed position. When the imperforate cover isin the closed or watertight position of Fig. 2, the screw threaded endportion 26 of each bolt is received in the` threaded areas 22 of thesocket while the sleeves 25 are received by the outer threaded sections23 of the sockets. When the imperforate cover is in the open orVentilating position of Fig. 3, the sleeves 25 remain fixed to thesockets but the bolt shafts are released and moved axially of thesleeves.

The screw threaded connecting means between the bolt shafts and thesleeves permits ready release of the air vent cover from its watertightposition of Fig. 2 and the bolt assemblies are further arranged tomaintain the cover in its Ventilating position of Fig. 3. The particulararrangement consists of a spring latch formed, as shown in detail inFig. 4, of a spring which has one arcuate arm 3l) received or carried bya groove 31 formed in the outer wall of each sleeve 25 and has a springlatching arm or extension 32 which is received in a slot 33 formedtapers downward to form the abutment and to provide,

with the abutment, a locking recess. The latching arm 32 of the springconstantly engages or contacts the bolt shaft 24 and when the shaft ismanually moved from its position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig.3, the latching arm 32 will be biased into the recess and held by theabutment 35 and thus prevent further upward movement of the bolt shaftand maintain the cover in its completely open or ventilated position.The downward taper ing portion 36 permits the latching arm 32 to readilyrelease the bolt shaft when it is urged downward from the ventilatedposition of Fig. 3 to the watertight position of Fig. 2 and yet providesan arrangement for securely maintaining the cover in the open positionof Fig. 3 under normal conditions of use.

In order to insure that the housing is sealed, a resilient annulargasket 40 is provided and may be disposed between theupper end 12 of thecover and upper ange 1S of ring 16 when the cover is in the watertightposition of Fig. 2.A The gasket, as shown, is preferably secured.y

the inner 'face'of the upper end'12 of the cover' by meansV of a bushing42. The bushing i2 is mounted at the upper end of the bolt shaft 24 andis provided to eect threading the lower end of a bolt shaft to a socket.

What is claimed is:

l. A housing having an apertured upper wall, a ring having its loweredge secured to the upper wall about said aperture and its upper edgedisposed thereabove providing a passageway in communication with thehousing, an imperforate cover for said passageway having a top and adepending side flange, an adjusting bolt assembly for said covercomprising a vertical sleeve having its lower open end supported by theupper wall and its upper open end disposed in a plane generally in linewith the upper edge of said ring, a bolt having its upper inVopen'positionlwhenit i's movedfrom fits clos'efdposition 2. Ahousinghaving an. apertre'd 'uppewalzl', ajr'in'g Y having "its lower edgesecured to fthe Vupper 4wall .about said aperture' vand'its upper 'edgedisposed 'there'above providing va passageway'in"communicationlwiththe'lI'otiSV-f ing,y an imperfojrate' coverfor saidpassageway having faits lower openlend VSupportje'dfby "the jupperfwall ndvlit's Y upperVopenTendz disp'os'e'd "in a'pla'n'e generallyiiniline v 'Y withtheupperfed'g'eof 'said ring, a bolt havingit's upper end supported by thetopof Ythe cover and its lower endV Y disposed Vwithin said'r sleeve;'connecting .means .on "the bolt` and `other connectingjmeans Von thesleeve 'fon-rely leasably maintaining "the cover in closed position,Y alatching armtrcarried at the upper end of said sleeve and Vendsupported.byrthetopiofithe cover and-iftslowerntd -K disposed" within 'saidsleeve; connecting means Von 'the` bolt and other'jconnec'ting means lon'fth'e V"sleevefcir v"l'e-V *l Yleasably maintaining .the cover inclosed positionrand spring means carried; by Athesleeveadjacentitsznpper i encrllf'for oopgeratinswiththe 'boltjtogmaintain the 'cover Y -"iin1said fsleeveadjajcent-V its lupperaend,Y said sleeverand having-a latching armexteuding into saidf'sltQsaddatching arml'being adapted fofib'aSJngtolt''cfiL n withrthebolt when the cover'ris, movedfrom its AclosedV positionandran'ab'utment on theQbolt adjacent'itsV lower v end adapted to coactYwith the -latchingarm to maintain 4 Y the cover in its open position. YY

' 5. A housing having an apetu'redfupper wall, a'ringY Y s Having itslower edge secured'tolthelipp'er wall about` topY and a Vdepending 'sideA"ilan'ge, an adjustingboltiase 3 sem'bly (for said 'cover comprisingafvertical 'sleevefhaving Y adapted for biasinglcontact'withsaid-bolt'anda lockingV recess'adjacent the lower end offth'e bolt aboveits/con-l Ynecting means'for receiving saidrlatching arm 'tomaintain thec'over in itsiopenjposition whenjit is moved from its closed position;Y

j 3.' A housing Yhaving 'an 'ap'ertured VVVupper. wall, .a ring havingitsjV lower 'edge'.secured to fthe upper Vwall about!V saidiapertureandfits .upper'edgevdisposed thereaboveproviding a passagewayin'communication Wththehou'sing, an `imperlorate Acover for saidpassagewayfhaving a VtopY and a depending sideange, anadjustingboltfas'sernblyA for said cover' comprising a .'vertical'sleeve' having its lower open end supported V`bythe upper wally and'its' upper open Vend disposed infaplane generally inline j with theupper ledge of VYsaid ring, Va bolt havingitsupper end' supported by thetop of the cover and Vits'lower end disposed within Vsaid sleeve,connecting lmeans ongthe bolt Y Y and other connecting means on Vthesleevefory rle'asbly maintaining the cover in closed position, alatching arm carried at the upper vend ofsaidrsleeve and adapted Vfoi'biasing contact'with saidrbolt; ja downward'tapering por# Y Ytion'adjacentthe lower end of thebolttforming Vantabut.-vv

VVmentk above its connectingjmeans and providing,u with the abutment, aflocking recess-for receivinglsaidllathing armto `maintain the cover -inopen positionlwhenflifis moved'fromitsclosed position. Y

V'4: Afhousing .having'anaperturedupper wlLQa Y having its vl'owerfetlgesecured vto the upperWall-aboutV said 'aperture and its vupper edgedisposed kthereabove providing a passageway in communication withVthehous` ing, animperfor'ate cover for said'p'assageway havingavr topVand a dependingsideflange, an adjustingfb'oltassemr- Ybly yforlsaid'cover'comprising a verticaly sleeve havingitsy s lowerVV open end`supportedrby the .upper4 wallrandgits f upper Yopen 'end disposedinaplane generally inline Y with the upper edge of said ring, abolt'having its upper end supported by theltop of the cover and itslower-end disposed withinrsaid sleeve, connecting means'onlthe bolt andother connecting means on the sleeve forreleasablyv Y Vmaintaining ythe`cover jin closed'z position, a slot formed saidfapertureV and itsuppersedgedisposed tlierbileeiV is providinglapassagewayfini'communication-with-fhelrous' ing, Vanimperforate'coverrfor y'said passagewaykhvingia top and Va dependingsideilange, an adjustingbltsfassem# Y Vbly for `said cover comprising averticalsleeve having its"Y lower openendsupported by "theupper-wllaniifsfupp'er- Y' open end 'disposedinla planegenerally in line' withltheY Y upper edge of saidgring, Vafhlt havingitSDPPcr endsup` portedVby'theftop of the'cover Vand itslower end disposedf Within saidsleeve,l connecting means onthe boltand Aother j. Y Y Y connecting meanson the "s'l'eevelfor `rele`asatly"niiiritinlV Y Y t 5 ing'the cover inclosed position, a slot formed'iin Vsiilj: Y *t sleeve adjacent itsupperiend,ra spring'jsupported'bythe) sleeve'adj'acent its'upper end andhaving "a resilientl'ath-A 6.A A housinghaving-ian Aaperture?!111213.61wll,".

an imperforate cover for:'saidYr'iassag'ewayY having `aridadependingside 'ange', fan VVadjustingfbol ,wasser bly f f 'Y for saidVcover VVcomprising ajverticaljsle'eve Vh lower Yopen end supported -by'the*.jupper'g'vieilliv upper end disposedin a planegenerallyinf'rline'with upper edge of said ringya'bolt havingits'pp'ere'rdr Aup ported bythe topV of the cover andV its lower endl 'spo withinsaidsleeve, 'connecting means 4on"'tlieb'oltja connectingjnieans onthe'sleeve forreleasblyigma ing*` the coveriin its "closed jposition; atrjansvesej ,Y said sleeve adjacentitsv Yupper fend, a 'spring supportedsaid Asleeve s and having a resilient lathinguarmfdigose within saidslot and-in Ycomactjw'ith rhegboplnadoivnwaxjd s Y taper on said boltabove its connecting"means`tekltniinatiiggl Y inanabutmentan'dprovidin'g"therewiltflolltingyrecess Y forv receiving theresilient,latchingarmiwlieniite'eouerfl is rais'ed froml its 'closed'Iposition wherebytlie 'covergis maintained in its open position.' .Y

Y 7, Apparatusas inclaim '6 fui-:ther:characfeiizedlby'ag socketdisposed within thef lower Yend/fof `tltle sleeve and being'adapted forscrew-threadedly receiving the"bolt"conf necting means and forbeing'receive'd bythefconnecting 7 means on'the sleeve; Q

' FOREIGN PAi-nmsY

